Tag Archives: rome

“What is it that confers the noblest delight? What is that which swells a man’s breast with pride above that which any other experience can bring to him?
Discovery!
To know that you are walking where none others have walked;
that you are beholding what human eye has not seen before;
that you are breathing a virgin atmosphere.
To give birth to an idea–to discover a great thought — an intellectual nugget, right under the dust of a field that many a brain–plow had gone over before.
To find a new planet, to invent a new hinge, to find the way to make the lightnings carry your messages.
To be the first–that is the idea.
To do something, say something, see something, before any body else–these are the things that confer a pleasure compared with which other pleasures are tame and commonplace, other ecstasies cheap and trivial.
…
What is there in Rome for me to see that others have not seen before me?
What is there for me to touch that others have not touched?
What is there for me to feel, to learn, to hear, to know, that shall thrill me before it pass to others?
What can I discover?
–Nothing.
Nothing whatsoever.
One charm of travel dies here.
But if I were only a Roman!
–If, added to my own I could be gifted with modern Roman sloth, modern Roman superstition, and modern Romanboundlessness of ignorance, what bewildering worlds of unsuspected wonders I would discover!
Ah, if I were only a habitant of the Campagna five and twenty miles from Rome!
Then I would travel.”

An excerpt from The Innocents Abroad by Mark TwainFormatted by Sarah Noh

Rome causes you to dig.Something about it where there are layers and layers of history.Where the architecture, the visuals, the air all exist horizontally and vertically.This does not exist in many cities.You get to discover so many different things.You get random flashbacks to the past as you see pieces of history.Buildings that have not been refurbished or mowed over.Representations and reminders of what life was like and how things should not be taken for granted.

I am sure that it has been noticed before already:
where two Europeans or Latinos greet each other with a kiss/peck on each cheek.
…
I remember thinking that I could not do that and would feel super shy about it,
but I have adapted to it already and learned something interesting about it.
…
If you do not know of it, basically “Due Baci” (Dos besos) is a form of greeting that is common.
Rather than shaking hands, waving, or just simply saying “Hello”,
Italians (Europeans) say Ciao! (or any other form of Hello) and then proceed to kind of do this like
hug thing while kissing (with their cheeks mainly, not lips on the cheek) each cheek while making that kissing sound.
…
There is a slight difference in Italy compared to the rest of Europe concerning this
“2 Kiss” or Due Baci.
…
In Italy, you start with a kiss on the Right and then the Left.
On the otherhand, in the rest of Europe (mostly), you start with the Left and the Right.
So it could probably get awkward and confusing if this is not known of beforehand.
…
This seems to contribute to how Europeans are so open, touchy, and comfortable with each other,
even strangers, while in America and especially Asia, there is this like “comfort zone bubble of do not enter” around us.

Note: It seems that the only locals that truly welcome a foreigner are the mosquitos. They truly love my blood…

A week has passed in Rome.Feels like it has been so much longer than that.

As I turned on the boiler/heater before taking my shower (you have to heat up the water and wait quite a while), I began to just think about back home.
I had been avoiding thinking about home, family – and I had been trying to have minimal contact with family in order to prevent my homesickness. I did not want to hold back my family nor have them worry about me.
…I did not want to cry…
…..
The water was still cold even after 15 minutes
…Eff it, I will just take the shower. It will be healthy for me anyways and perhaps numb some of the pain.
…
People seem to always want to get out of their parents’ home and live on their own and yes that is fine; however, I do not think that they really realize how precious their time is being a dependent.
I have not had such an urge since I like living with my family and already felt like I have the home to myself as I am usually home alone when I am there.

Then there are those that cannot stand their dorm rooms because of this and that and that is fine and all, but once again they do not realize how easy they have it
(and this time I include myself in that crowd).

Almost all of the living necessities are provided.
You do not have to worry about setting up and paying the bills,
buying groceries, appliances, and kitchenware,
buying toilet paper, trash bags, detergent (well dorms yes, but hear me out),
cleaning the windows, walls, trashcans,
and so much more.
…Wanting to become independent is definitely a good thing and part of growing up and I am all up for it which is why I came abroad.

However, I definitely did not expect this feeling of being thrown somewhere.
I thought that living in an apartment rather than a dorm room or homestay would be awesome since I would have my own kitchen and the freedom to do what I want.
But then there are the cons and there is that one fact.
…
I am in a foreign country where I do not speak the language and where the currency is different.

Everything is more expensive here.
I have to buy my own toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, etc.
I have to figure out what some foods are here and how to even purchase them.
The way groceries are bought is different here.

I cannot be too loud during a certain time period.
I cannot have guests over for too long.
All because the rules are different here.
You also do not know when your next food or drink will come at times.
Not everything can be found in one place like Target, Costco, or Walmart.
You do not know what some stores are or where to get things.
…One thing that I had decided was that I was not going to be like some of the others here:complaining to my family and demanding care packages.I am not going to expect any or request for any because I know how expensive it is.I will find what I need and will get them myself.It is not because I am stubborn or just want to rely on my self.I just do not want to worry my family or have them concern over me.I came here to become more independent after all.And I know where this money came from.I will spend it well, not recklessly.…
I realized that Americans are so spoiled in everyday life.
We really are.
…
I could see vividly the image of my mother coming home lugging bags and bags of food and mainly fruit because she knows how much I love fruit. And I would complain that she bought too much once again when she only wanted to satisfy me especially before I left.

But now it is like, damn, why did I complain?
It was such a privilege and she did it all out of love.
She does everything out of love.
And I learned all that and knew and know that even during my stay in the dorm room.
But now that everything is becoming even more like the “real”, independent life
…Aw frickin A, I cannot stop crying…crap.…
I am noticing even more the little details that I should be thankful for.
I never thought that I am a super spoiled child although I know that I am in comparison to those who are starving. But I seriously am so blessed.
I really did take things for granted that I thought I did not.
I am just like everyone else that I did not want to become like.
I am a hypocrite.
…
I am spoiled.
…
complaing, being dissatisfied, getting angry at my mother when she does so much for me.
She always says that I will only know when I grow older, only know when it is too late, when she is gone from this earth
…
I guess I am glad that I know now before she passes. which I def do not want to think about.
She is turing 60 soon…
I always see her as this energetic, bubbly, young woman
…
I always see her as my friend.
But I really do need to realize that she is right.
I need to treat her better because I do have goals for my family that I wish to achieve.
I should have cooked for her, like legit.
I should not have focused so much on “being healthy”, losing weight, being in my own depressed world, watching korean variety shows.
When she actually wanted to go out for a walk, I should have.

I can not stop sobbing now, but I need to write this all out.

I know that it will get better.
I just hope that I will not take her for granted again.
I told myself I would not after realizing crap during freshman year of college…
I failed.

Being in a foreign country is hard.
Not knowing anybody in that country is hard.
Living alone is hard.
Being in a foreign country while living alone and knowing few people is
…
Well…fill in the blank.
……..
Although as of now, it seems that the only solution once again is to just keep me constantly busy so that I am too exhausted to even think about family.
But that will wear and tear down my body and mind all over again…
But I know it will get better.
***Love you mom…

So I am currently studying abroad in Rome, Italy. Obviously there to learn some recipes and such for this website 😉 But actually, I am. So I will not be posting on here most likely for a few months, but there are plenty of food pics and things about Rome (plus basically my honest thoughts which I guess I do not care who reads or hears or judges since I am just laying myself out here on the open internet) in my study abroad website: